"...Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy..." (Luke 2:10, NKJV) Behold means to gaze.  What were the shepherds thinking when they beheld the bright star and heard the angels? I bet it was loud and glorious and they knew they needed to go find the baby.  

What were Mary and Joseph thinking as they beheld (and held in their arms) their newborn, Jesus, in a smelly old barn among the animals? I wonder if they were thinking, now what? I know my husband and I felt that way with our first child. I believe they knew the "who" of Jesus, but I'm not so sure they understood the "what" or the "how" and all that was the future. Sure, an angel came and told them that His name would be Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. However, I can't imagine they would have known ALL that He would do, all of the miracles He would perform, or how He would die and rise again and save the entire world from their sins. To me, that would have been cruel of God to have that "hanging over their heads" for 33 years. However, at that moment, that glorious morning in Bethlehem, they beheld their Son, God in the flesh. 

I pray that we, too, can behold, or gaze, upon God the Father, Jesus the Son and Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Guide in all of His glory this Christmas season. We may feel like we are currently in the "barn" of our circumstances, the smelly and not so pretty parts - grief, too many bills, loss of a job, family member, or a friend. Even in the midst of the yuck, God still shows up with His love, peace, power, grace, and faithfulness. 

May you sense Jesus in all of His glory in the difficult places of the past and the unknown places of the future as you behold your God. 

This post was prompted by Kate Motaung's "Five Minute Friday," which she hosts on the Five Minute Friday website. Kate posts a single word each week and each blogger sets a timer for 5 minutes to write and then posts, with little editing. (Some weeks I have more trouble with that part than others.) Check out the other writers this week!